News

Gas leak keeps students from classes

By Steve Landwehr
STAFF WRITER
Published: December 2, 2008

IPSWICH — Winthrop Elementary School was expected to open for education as usual today, following an early morning reinspection of its heating system.

The school was closed yesterday morning after a strong odor of gas was discovered. The few staff members already present, along with about 15 students in the Extended Day Program, walked over to the town's fire station, which is next to the school.

They were later bused to the Ipswich Performing Arts Center at the middle/high school, where they were joined by the rest of their classmates and teachers.

Fire Chief Art Howe said the odor of gas was so strong it could be detected even outside the school. It seemed especially concentrated in a crawl space beneath the school, where the gas measured 120 parts per million, Howe said.

According to the Consumer Product Safety Commission, most people won't experience health problems at sustained levels below 70 ppm. However, at levels above 150 ppm, illness and even death can result from prolonged exposure.

The problem was traced to one of the school's two boilers firing improperly, Howe said. It was fixed by yesterday afternoon and was scheduled for a reinspection at 6 a.m. today.

At the Performing Arts Center, staff staged impromptu activities for the students and even managed to get some educational studies done, said Fran Seltenrich, the schools' director of administrative services.

About 440 students attend Winthrop Elementary School. Their parents were notified of the day's events through the school district's "calling trees" of personnel. The town's community notification system was not employed, Howe said.

KeySpan Energy, the town's Police and Fire departments and Action Ambulance all responded to the gas leak. There were no injuries.

"There were no heroics, no spectaculars," Howe said.